As a golfer, I’ve always been happy I moved to the St. George area. There are more golf courses in Dixie than perhaps any other area of similar size in the western states. I count them thusly: four St. George municipal links and five country clubs, one in Washington City and three in and about Hurricane.

Some special holes for me include those along cliffs of Snow Canyon at the Ledges, the island hole on Sunbrook’s Woodbridge, two holes by the gorge at Green Spring, two among the lava fields at Entrada (I used to also admire the water features at Entrada but it is now open to members only), no. 6 at Coral Canyon, and many others. From the beginning, I have had a special love for Coral Canyon with its winding layout among myriad arroyos and ridgelines.

I played it recently to note that several flood-damaged tee box locations had to be repaired. Otherwise, it is the same challenging layout requiring supreme accuracy on approach shots. The fairways are more open than some local links, but second and third strokes to the green on par 5s can mean (1) lay up, or (2) go for it. I decided upon the latter at the 512-yard (white tees) No. 2 when I should have been more conservative. One reason is a sometimes love-hate affair with fairway woods. (As usual back to the driving range.)

You have to respect those creek crossings, and undulating greens. The longest hole, No. 14, at 514 yards (longest par 5) gave me trouble. I parred on par 5 No. 1 with little difficulty, but No. 14 caught me not fully focused on an angled green. I got free of the sand all right, but I left myself with a long putt and then misread the slope. It’s all about gravity. It’s a law we golfers must learn to better obey.

What I like most about any golf course are greens posing a fair test of putting skills. I found them at Coral Canyon. I don’t mean easy reads—most of Coral’s greens are what you would have to call “tricky” with their deceptive slopes—but well-groomed grass carpets. This rarely happens by accident. I grew up near the Salt Lake Country Club and learned early to applaud the world’s greens keepers for their meticulous skill and care.

Coral Canyon does not have the water hazards of some area layouts. Nevertheless, I would not call it an easy challenge. Including that “cute” little par 3 No. 6, right now only about 40 yards. Reasons for its challenge: canyon peril on left and sharp ledges on right. It has been voted “Dixie’s Number One Favorite Golf Hole.”

Ken Johnson, a playing partner from Wisconsin, founding it a surprising challenge.

“An intriguing test of skill because you know you should par it … in spite of surrounding scenery,” Johnson said. “But I suspect some focus too much on the scenery.”

He was right. In our foursome, only one parred on No. 6, and that was Johnson.

I have always maintained what any pro will tell you (something we should already know) You spend at least half your strokes in any round of golf on or about the green; yet few aspiring golfers spend as much time there as with their driver. Many a golfer can shoot long down the middle, yet fail to finish with less than two putts.

In all, Coral Canyon has a beautiful clubhouse layout with a friendly atmosphere and a wonderful driving range and putting green. Coral Canyon (white tees) is a 2,947-3,046=6,927 yard challenge with five par 5s, five par 3s and eight 4s. It was designed by Keith Foster in what I would call a masterful job of taking advantage of what nature had to offer.

Note: when first playing Mesquite’s Wolf Creek, I equated it with Coral Canyon as being in an exquisite setting. Yet, it seemed under appreciated. (No mention in the golfing magazines.) But the March issue of a certain magazine said this: “Wolf Creek has been named “No. 1 golf course in America as voted by the readers of Golf Digest.”

If YOU GO

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How to get there: Coral Canyon is located in Washington City a few miles east of the turnoff on state Route 9 toward Hurricane. Turn south as marked. Drive all the way to end of the road.

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Phone: 435-688-1700.

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Website: www.coralcanyongolf.com.

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Cost: Green fees are much lower after 1:30 p.m. Prices to May 31: Sunday-Wednesday, $100 (morning); Thursday, $107; Friday-Sunday, $115; Twilight (after 1:30 p.m.) $55; Friday-Saturday and holidays, $65. Check with the pro shop for local resident and senior (62 and older) discounts. Like several other 18-hole links across the state, it is affiliated with Vanguard Golf Management. Vanguard Player cards are available for $99.

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Other information: The usual rules apply to no outside food; metal spikes are not allowed.